Best Pets for Seniors - Part 7 - Aquariums & Aquarium Plants

By Anna Hazard

View the Rest of the Series

Part 1 - Benefits & Drawbacks
Part 2 - Tips, Alternatives, & Helpful Programs
Part 3 - Best Dogs for Seniors
Part 4 - Best Cats for Seniors
Part 5 - Best Birds for Seniors
Part 6 - Best Rodents for Seniors
Part 7 - Aquariums & Aquarium Plants
Part 8 - Best Aquarium Fish for Seniors

Introduction

Benefits of Aquariums

• There are many therapeutic health benefits associated with aquariums. Studies have shown that watching fish swim in aquariums helps reduce stress, anxiety, depression and lowers blood pressure. Besides being very calming & soothing to watch, having tanks of brightly colored fish on display has been shown to curtail disruptive behavior in Alzheimer's patients, increase both alertness and amiability, and help improve eating habits which led to fewer supplements & medication required.
• In addition to watching the fish, colorful tank displays & embellishments (such as bubblers, castles, shipwrecks, fake coral displays, as well as real or fabricated underwater plants) can not only be a fun senior activity when it comes to decorating, but can help improve the mood when watching the tank.
• Basic & smaller tank set-ups with beginner fish are easy to implement and an inexpensive option compared to the starting expenses of other types of pets.
• Aquariums & fish tanks are generally good alternatives for those prospective pet owners who may have dander, fur, or feather allergies that make the presence of other types of pets unlikely or impossible. Fish are also good options for those seniors with limited mobility that are incapable of more heavy maintenance such as walking dogs or crouching to the floor to reach feed bowls or cleaning up potential messes.
• Due to their low daily maintenance requirements, fish are also good options for those seniors who end up spending lots of time outside of their homes. Unlike other types of pets fish do not require daily interactions, larger aquarium set-ups will require water-changes & clean-up once a week, and automatic fish feeders can be set-up for several weeks in advance if their senior owner is on vacation, in rehab, or in the hospital.
• Smaller aquarium set-ups are generally allowed even in living arrangements where other types of pets are forbidden such as in small apartments or condos, assisted living, or even nursing homes. Small cold water set-ups with single fish (or very small groups) would also be the least expensive pet option only requiring the initial cost of the bowl or tank, an aquarium sponge or scraper for cleaning, and a fish net as well as the on-going cost of inexpensive fish food & water conditioners.
• As many types of fish don't tend to have long life spans (usually running in the range of a couple of years), they will not require complicated succession plans in case something happens to their senior owner.

Drawbacks to Aquariums

• Unlike pets with fur or feathers, fish offer no touch therapy benefits and are generally less interactive than other types of pets. With the exception of certain types of fish such as bettas or dwarf puffers that can greet, play, and be taught basic tricks, most fish will remain oblivious to the presence or absence of their owner.
• While aquariums tend to be low maintenance once properly set up, all fish tanks will require a minimum level of care that varies depending upon the intricacy of the tank set-up, the size of the tank (smaller tanks will require cleaning & water changes more often), the number & types of fish or plants present etc. In addition, the original setting up of the tank & its implements can be more extensive & time consuming depending upon the intricacy of the arrangement, the size of the tank etc. For larger displays, a senior may wish to have a family member, caregiver, or even an aquarium store specialist (when available) assemble everything.
• Having larger community tanks with different types of fish may be more eye catching & provide more therapeutic benefits, but not only will such a tank require more maintenance and vigilance (in case something goes wrong in the display), but will also require quite a bit of research ahead of time to make certain that all the different types of fish are compatible with each other.
• More ornate set-ups such as marine aquariums, aquariums with real coral or underwater plants, or fancier fish that have specific needs are more expensive to maintain, running in line with the costs of other more costly pets.
• In addition, sickness can spread extremely easily between fish being kept in the same aquarium and costs for various tank-wide medicines are not negligible. As availability of fish vets are scarce, most illnesses will need to be diagnosed and treated by the owner or a caregiver acting in the owner's stead.

Tips & Advice

Things to Keep in Mind When Considering an Aquarium

• Studies have shown that highly decorated tanks with colorful fish have greater health benefits for their owners & other fellow fish watchers as compared to their plainer counterparts. Basically the more eye-catching the display, the better the therapeutic benefits.
• The more fish present, the larger a tank and the more gallons of water will be required. The basic rule of thumb is for every 1" of fish, there should be 1 gallon of water, although the exact ratio will depend upon the exact fish. Some fish require more space due to their temperaments, health, high activity, or because they are messy eaters that can foul up smaller set-ups more easily. Generally the more gallons available per inch of fish, the healthier & easier the tank set-up will be.
• As complete water changes can get cumbersome, tanks large enough to use automatic aquarium filters are recommended. Tanks with filters will still require partial water changes as part of their maintenance. The exact ratio and frequency will depend upon the exact set-up of the tank, but changing 25% (1/4) water change biweekly is common. Aquarium siphons & water changers can be used to help ameliorate the task of scooping out pints to liters to gallons of water at one time.
• Generally while large aquarium displays are more time, energy, and money consuming to set-up, they are easier to maintain due to far less fluctuations in their water condition. A larger tank can more readily absorb spikes in ammonia & nitrates (caused by accumulated waste), are less likely to have a tank wide illness break out, and will generally require less intervention from their owner. The smaller a tank, the more often the water must be changed and conditioned, and the easier it is for an illness to be introduced into the tank. Very small tanks (such as betta bowls) are not recommended as they will require a complete water change & tank cleaning every single day.
• While marine fish tend to be more colorful, generally fanciful, and also live years longer than their fresh water counterparts, marine aquariums are more complicated & expensive to maintain with more water condition parameters (such as the exact salt level in the aquarium). Marine fish tend to be more delicate and require additional equipment such as specialized lighting. A marine aquarium is generally not advised for complete aquarium beginners.
• Filtered tanks should be cycled (have ammonia introduced into the tank or allow fish food to rot in the tank) for 2 - 4 weeks before fish are introduced as that will allow the growth of nitrifying bacteria in the filters that will purify the wastes produced by the fish & keep the water conditioning balanced. Ammonia & nitrite test kits can be bought to be certain when the cycle has been completed and are good supplies to have on hand in case there are ever any problems (such as an ammonia spike causing sickness in the tank) later on.
• While entertaining to pick-out, decorate, and watch, live aquarium plants increase the level of maintenance required for an aquarium with many types of plants requiring special lighting, fertilizers, or carbon dioxide injectors. Generally beginners should seek out aquarium plants with low light requirements that do not require any sort of fertilizer to flourish.     

Best Aquarium Plants for Seniors, Beginners, & Those Lacking Time or Green Thumbs

Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus)

• Inexpensive and easily found in shops that sell aquarium plants and does not require fertilizer, CO2 injections, or substrate to grow. With low lighting requirements & prefers to be left on top of any soil/substrate/sand instead of having its roots buried, Java fern prefers to attach itself to rocks, drift wood, aquarium decorations etc. Hardy leaves are not attractive for fish to nibble on, but make a good hiding space for fish such as bettas.

Java Moss (Vesicularia dubyana)

• A hardy & easy to maintain plant with low light requirements. It does not need substrate, fertilizer, or CO2 and makes a good hiding spot for small fish or shrimp and can be used as a nutrient sponge to reduce unneeded nutrients and help improve water quality. Can be found free floating or anchored to hard surfaces in the aquarium.

Marimo Moss Ball (Cladophora aegagropila)

• These dense balls of algae are popular products in aquarium stores and make eyecatching foreground elements in planted displays and can easily be placed even in smaller tanks. They have low lighting requirements and do not need CO2 or fertilizer and can be placed in cold water or tropical tanks. Much like Java Moss, Marimo act as nutrient sponges siphoning out excess nutrients from the water.

Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)

• Another common plant to aquariums is Hornwort which can be kept in cold water or tropical tanks and left as free floating or rooted in the substrate. They are easy to maintain, do not require CO2 or fertilizer, and can grow in a wide range of lighting & water conditions. As it's fast growing, Hornwort can be placed in tanks with fish known to be plant nibblers and it can be used to absorb nitrates, balance water quality in newly established tanks, or provide coverage and hiding spots for fish. 

Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala)

• An easy-to-care-for & fast growing plant with low lighting requirements, no need for CO2 or fertilizers, and can thrive in a variety of water conditions.  The plant can be rooted in substrate or left free floating with the possibility of it sprouting white flowers if its tendrils reach the surface of the water. The Pennywort's distinct lily-pad like leaves add a decorative pop to aquariums while also providing hiding spots for fish such as bettas.